Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I refer to his meeting with Paul Volcker in September 2005 and to reports today in which a Volcker inquiry official who participated in that meeting was quoted as saying:

“Downer’s attitude was, ‘Well, what else were they supposed to do? They really had no option if they—

the AWB—

want to do business in Iraq”

I quote further:

“When it was suggested to Downer that the Australian government might have advised the UN of its knowledge of breaches in UN sanctions, the Foreign Minister had remained silent.”

The report also says that the foreign minister behaved like ‘a pompous ass’. What did the minister actually say in this meeting? Is it not a fact that the minister has simply tried to cover up the government’s gross negligence in allowing AWB to pay $300 million to Saddam Hussein’s regime to buy guns, bombs and bullets for use against Australian troops?

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In calling the Minister for Foreign Affairs, I would remind the member for Griffith that just because something is a quotation it does not automatically make it acceptable in the parliament. The Minister for Foreign Affairs can ignore that part of the question, but the rest of the question stands.

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There was certainly a phrase in that question which was the pot calling the kettle black. I think the House knows exactly which phrase I am referring to. The government most certainly did not cover up any Australian company breaching sanctions. The simple point is that the Australian government has maintained and supported United Nations sanctions. At no time has the Australian government ever made a decision, ever announced a decision or signed a decision to suggest that we would weaken our commitment to United Nations sanctions. The proposition that somehow this government would have been in favour—

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Rudd interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Griffith has asked his question.

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

of breaching sanctions against Saddam Hussein’s regime is a proposition that absolutely no-one in the Australian community would accept—and quite rightly so. It is a completely absurd proposition.

A lot of evidence has been put to the Cole inquiry. Officers from the department that is led by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and by me have been before the Cole commission. In none of that evidence—at none of those hearings—is there any evidence that those officers of my department have been trying to cover up.

Kim Wilkie (Swan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What about you, Alex?

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Swan!

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The genius from Western Australia says, ‘What about me?’ as though somehow I am out there conducting some conspiracy separate from the officials in some series of secret meetings—which is obviously manifest nonsense as well.

Kim Wilkie (Swan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Wilkie interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I warn the member for Swan!

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The fact is that the officials from my department have made it perfectly clear that there has been no attempt at a cover-up and no attempt to turn a blind eye, and there has been no evidence presented to the Cole commission to support that proposition. My meeting with Mr Volcker was very friendly and it was right at the end of the Volcker process. It was a meeting which I asked to have because I could see that the Volcker commission was likely to have critical things to say about AWB Ltd. The onus of that discussion was that AWB should be able to see a draft copy of the report and comment on it before the final report was produced. I can absolutely assure the House there was nothing dramatic or exciting in that meeting at all—no matter what, by the way, Tony Walker may claim.